This is the reply from Visemar today:


Good morning Ian,

the service is actually suspended up until october, when we will most certainly restart it. Fact is that we're still studying different plans and routes in order to revamp our line service after the break, and due to this we can't ensure you departure dates, nor actual confirmed rates. We kindly ask you to contact us somewhere near September, in order to have a clearer vision and, hopefully, fixed days and rates of travelling.

Sorry for the inconvenience
Kind regards


If I may suggest that if anyone is interested in using this service, then now is the time to show Visemar that there are customers out there - if enough people enquire then maybe they'll restart it. Their website is: www.visemarline.com/ and the email address is info@visemarline.com

A little birdy at the RAC just told me they spoke to someone at the ferry company and its starting October (for sure) missing out Syria. Now we all know who this person is so we've got to presume they wouldn't tell him bull.

Hi all, thanks for the info and please keep it coming - we are heading North towards Europe and trying to determine the best route.

Forget Visemar; Venice - Alex
 

Hi All,
I phoned Visemar yesterday to ask when the Venice to Alex ferry will re-start. I was told categorically that it will not be running in the foreseeable future due to the "continued trouble in Syria and Egypt". When I mentioned to the chap in the Italian office that their web site says the service will be resumed in October he gave a sigh. I too was hoping to be on this ferry in October.

Back to the plan of shipping my car then flying out to Egypt to meet it...

Jim.

UK-Alex Options
 

Hi All, This all makes interesting reading and thanks to all for useful information. I plan to ship two WW2 Jeeps to Egypt next March. Obviously too far away to make serious enquiries yet, but, following Roamingyak's advice, I have made a tentative enquiry. T

I don't believe it! They've said more than once that it will absolutely start again in October and now one person says "no it won't". Theres no trouble in Egypt any more and the new route will bypass Syria according to everything i've heard off the ferry company. Do you think i need to Email again and get the Paul G on the case again?

If this is true that its not going to run, i'm going to drive through Syria and if i can do that then the damn ferry is hardly going to have a problem. Two years to plan and a few months to screw it all up.

Ok then. Its confirmed. Its not going to run. bugger.:thumbdown:
I sent them a specific question and got a specific answer.





Dear Neill,

Service has been suspended last mid of June.

Actually we have to say that the service will be not resumed.
Too many complication in Syria and in Egypt too.


Regards

Emanuele Volo
Operation
http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...C5CB7.F7B31120
Punto Franco - Santa Marta - Fabb. 16 - 30123 VENEZIA
VAT n.: IT03961450271
Tel.: +39 041.2712662
Fax: +39 041.2712507
Mob: +39 345 7274188

This is really bad news... We're planning a trip form Belgium to Cape Town, starting in january 2012 and we really counted on this ferry... We could try to go via turkey, syria and jordan, but it is a really big detour, especially since we leave in the middle of the winter and it will be cold. Sleeping in a rooftop tent is not ideal under these conditions. And then there are the troubles in Syria.

I think we only have two options left (i) shipping the car to south africa and start over there, we'll see where we get (ii) shipping the car to egypt, but that seems so much hassle...

Does anyone have a similar problem or a suggestion?

What a pain, to say the least!

I have containered to Alex before & said I wouldnt do that again, but it looks like I may just change my mind!!!

Or....... maybe, just maybe Libya & Gadaffi will be a bit sorted by xmas & as I would only do the coast road again, (transiting), that could be a possibility.
I would think europeans will be very welcome there if Gadaffi does go.

I wont be booking a container till the last minute, just in case!

I can live in hope!

Andy

We're in a similar situation - we're off in October, we were planning on going through Syria, then switched to the ferry - now not sure what we're going to do.
I'm wary of travelling through a country on the brink of civil war - it could remain "stable" for months or could tip into war in hours if part of the armed forces decide they've had enough. In this case you probably wouldn't even know it was happening until you ran into something. If I was by myself I might decide to go for it, but making that type of decision & dragging someone else into trouble isn't funny.

Libya would be good - not sure it'll be sorted in time though.

I'm not keen on freighting into Alex - are there really no shipping lines that will allow you to accompany the vehicle?

libya would be a good option if it's sorted by january. We'll see...

Andy and Frenchian, please keep us posted on your final decision and how it works out, whether it is driving through Syria or shipping to Alex. I will too.

More rumours
 

This from Travel Agent Rami Siag in Cairo:

'The Vismara line is postponed not cancelled to Nov 2011, but he will change his rotation Venise- Antalia – Alexandria'

This could make sense, though contradicts the line taken my Visemar:

'There are two companies performing such route with cargo only.
Pls refer to their web-site for more info: “Grimaldi lines” or “Messina lines"

T

Can you expalin where they got this from as this may in some way inform us how three direct communications from the company have said its cancelled. Cancelled being the operative word here. Not postponed or anything else. Just plain cancelled.

This is the reply I recieved from Viesmar today

Andy

service is suspended and not more available

We aren’t able, on this very moment, to give you any forecast for when and
If same will be resumed

Brgds
AF

Not what I / we wanted to hear!

I will start looking at alternatives now

Andy

The current plan is to make a quick traverse of Syria (if a Unimog could ever be called "quick"!).
Visas applied for and waiting to see if/when we get them.

I am still going to watch what happens with Visemar though......

Ian